Majority in US prefer state power over federal: Poll

Washington, July 12 (IANS) Majority of the Americans or 55 percent, favour power that was concentrated in state governments, outnumbering the 37 per cent who favour federal power, a new poll revealed.

The result came as nearly half of the 50 US states were suing the federal government over its directive to allow transgender students to use bathrooms according to what gender they feel they are, rather than their actual physical gender, the Gallup poll issued on Monday said.

Schools that do not comply could risk losing federal funding.

The current lawsuit over transgender bathrooms is one of many battles US states have fought against President Barack Obama’s administration, Xinhua news agency reported.

Obama was unsuccessful this year in defending his executive order on allowing illegal immigrants to stay in the US while winning the fight to uphold the Affordable Care Act he signed into law in his first term.

The poll also saw evident difference between the Democrats and Republicans on their support for state power or federal power.

The majority of Democrats (62 per cent) support concentrating power at the federal level, while majorities of Republicans (78 per cent) and independents (56 per cent) favoured concentrating power at the state level.

Democrats’ preference for federal power is likely related to the present Democrat president in the White House, while the fact that about two in three US state governors are from the Republican Party would explain the Republicans’ favour for power at state level, the poll added.